Because I've had so many ask (OK, that's a lie. I haven't had anybody ask) I've decided to provide you, the happy reader, with some guidance, and list what I believe to be the best renditions of popular Christmas songs. As there exist multiple renditions of most Christmas songs out there, I often hear inferior renditions of my favorites, and so I thought I'd make a list of what I believe are the best renditions of the most popular songs. It's just my opinion, of course, and I encourage you to submit your own ideas or engage in happy discourse as you disagree with my recommendations, but remember... I'm usually right.
I'll list the artist, and an album it can be found on, if I can.
So, here goes....
- I'll Be Home for Christmas - Bryan White / Dreaming of Christmas (Many great renditions, but this one is really smooth.)
- O Holy Night - David Phelps, Gaither Vocal Band (I don't have an album, but here's the YouTube link. I defy you to listen to it and not be amazed and moved.)
- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - John Mellencamp / A Very Special Christmas (Maybe the most fun Christmas song I know. It's got a great vibe to it.)
- Jingle Bell Rock - Randy Travis / A Very Special Christmas 2 (All deference to the original artist, local guy Bobby Helms. My Dad played music with him. But this one has the best groove. Wait for the restart at the end that totally kicks up the fun a notch.)
- Silent Night/Let It Snow - Boyz II Men / Christmas Interpretations (Turn the bass on your stereo up. When the full group kicks on on Silent Night, it' breathtaking and it'll rattle your windows. Let It Snow has a nice dance music feel to it.)
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry (Can't get better than the original.)
- The Christsmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting...) - Luther Vandross / A Very Special Christmas 2 (Props to the Nat King Cole original. A very smooth listen, indeed, but it's hard to beat Luther on just about anything. This one's different from every other version out there and yet somehow doesn't ruin it.)
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town - A tie between Bruce Springsteen and the Pointer Sisters. (Both versions are fun and offer their own bits that make you chuckle. The Santa laugh at the end of the Springsteen version, accompanied by The Boss' own laughter may give this one a slight edge. There's also a very interesting duet rendition by Cyndi Lauper and Frank Sinatra that one would think would be awful, but is really pretty good. Additionally, there's a very good Neil Diamond version of this song that my wife hates. Go figure.)
- Sleigh Ride - Debbie Gibson / A Very Special Christmas 2 (Just more fun than all the others I've heard. Plus I saw Debbie live in concert in 1989, so there's that.)
- Do You Hear What I Hear - Whitney Houston / A Very Special Christmas (Whitney... 'Nuff said. But I have to give props to my friend, Becca Ford. She hit a home run with it that would make even Whitney proud. If she wasn't dead. Whitney, that is, not Becca.)
- Little Drummer Boy - Bob Seger / A Very Special Christmas (The Silver Bullet Band doesn't over do it)
- My Favorite Things - Kenny Rogers / Christmas Wishes from Kenny Rogers (Sorry to all you Julie Andrews fans. This really isn't a Christmas song, but has come to be associated with the Holiday season over the years. Kenny's version is smooth, snappy and enhances the original by not ruining its integrity.)
- Grown Up Christmas List - Natalie Cole / Christmas Classics (Full of emotion. Seems more heartfelt than the others I've heard.)
- Silver Bells - Bing Crosby (Hard to beat the Bingle!)
- White Christmas - Bryan White / Dreaming of Christmas (This one beats the Bingle. Nice feel.)
- The First Noel - Trans-Siberian Orchestra / Christmas Eve and Other Stories (First of all, if you haven't seen TSO live, YOU MUST GO! If you like live music, this is the best. GREAT Christmas show. If you know the lyrics to the song, then this instrumental is outstanding. If you don't know the lyrics, its still great!)
- Frosty the Snowman - Cindy Brady / A Very Brady Christmas (I know her real name is Susan Olsen, but who cares. Unless you're a Brady fan, this album is pretty awful, and really, it's pretty awful anyway, but Cindy singing this song in her precious lisp is absolutely perfect for the song.)
- Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee (The original is just so good. But Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector do some great renditions you can find on YouTube from the David Letterman Show.)
- Mele Kalikimaka - Bing Crosby (The Bingle again, although Jimmy Buffet does a really good remake. If you're wondering what this song is, recall the scene from Christmas Vacation where Clark is imagining his new pool.)
- 12 Days of Christmas - Straight No Chaser (Props to IU fans. Hands down the best. Look it up on YouTube. You will laugh and be amazed at the talent.)
- Baby It's Cold Outside - Vanessa Williams (Playful, although Dean Martin's take is really good. By contrast, Dean Martin's Rudolph is horrible.)
- Jingle Bells - Any version that doesn't have Frank Sinatra's name on it. But can you beat the Barking Dogs version? I doubt it.
- Mary Did You Know - Wynonna Judd and Kenny Rogers (Once again, this is just outstanding for being so unconventional, but there is a Gaither Vocal Band versions that'll shake you up.)
- Blue Christmas - Porky Pig (This really should be Elvis, of course, but this amateur take of Porky Pig singing the song is quite possibly the funniest thing I've ever heard. The kazoo solo and the guy laughing in the background is side-splitting. Look it up on YouTube.)
I know there's some I've missed, but you can find your own. However, there are a few other great Christmas songs that don't get remade because the original either belongs to the artist, or its just too good to be remade. But they are must-hears at Christmastime. Here's a few...
- Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer - Elmo & Patsy
- Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
- You Make It Feel Like Christmas - Neil Diamond
- Little Saint Nick - Beach Boys
- Fat Like Santa - Dale Jarvis (You've never heard of it. It's from the Bob & Tom album, It's a Wonderful Laugh. Find it on the Bob & Tom website. Outstanding and funny.)
- This is Christmas (War is Over) - John Lennon
- Anything by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
- The Chipmunk Song - The Chipmunks
- Merry Christmas, Baby - Bruce Springsteen
- Silver and Gold - Burl Ives (If I don't include this song, I get left on the Island of Misfits.)
As for Christmas albums, there was a series put out several years ago called A Very Special Christmas. There's four or five volumes but the first two are OUTSTANDING. Not a bad song on them, with great renditions by great artists, many of whom I've listed here. By contrast, the subsequent volumes are equally as bad as the first two are good. Not sure what happened. But you can find them usually at Wal-Mart.
However, my favorite all-time Christmas album is... wait for it.... Christmas Wishes from Kenny Rogers. This is a fabulous album with a perfect mix of originals and standards. The remakes are very good, not overdone and not ruining the integrity of the originals. Kenny doesn't try to stamp any of them. Just delivers nice, easy performances. His O Holy Night is very good, and the originals Kids and Kentucky Homemade Christmas are not cheesy at all as one might think. I'm a casual Kenny fan, but I promise you'll regret any preconceived notions you have about this. It's that good. Here's the obligatory Gospel cut from the album. You'll hear what I mean.
Thanks for reading. Happy listening and Merry Christmas.
No comments:
Post a Comment